Vint on ne mozhet byt' v poroshke prosto.

English translation: "vint, it can't be just a powder"

10:51 Apr 6, 2004

Russian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.

Russian term or phrase: Vint on ne mozhet byt' v poroshke prosto.

The placement of 'prosto' is confusing me.

Should it be:
You just can't buy vint in a powder. = you simply can't.
OR
You can't buy vint just in a powder. = you have to buy it in some other form.

I am not sure where the emphasis is.

Emily Justice KudoZ activity Questions: 1375 (10 open) (4 without valid answers) (27 closed without grading) Answers: 62 United Kingdom
Local time: 04:19

English translation:"vint, it can't be just a powder"

Explanation:
vint, or ("home-cooked") pervitin - is a drug of amphetaminic group, and my guess would be that the drug users would see it in the form of pills or tablets. It's not true, however, the drugs proper (medical) of this group often come in the form of powder. Alternative meaning of this "prosto" would be that it's not JUST a powder, meaning, perhaps, some inclusions - to distinguish from "poroshok" in pharmaceutical sence.

Selected response from:

nuclear
Local time: 06:19

Grading comment

Thanks.
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +4

it just cannot be in a powder

Alexander Onishko

"vint, it can't be just a powder"

nuclear

being in powder is not enouph

engrus

Answers

9 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

it just cannot be in a powder

Explanation:
Russian has almost arbitrary word order

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Note added at 10 mins (2004-04-06 11:01:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

it may be fluid or tablets or something else but not powder

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Note added at 12 mins (2004-04-06 11:04:27 GMT)
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it may be fluid or tablets or something else but not powder

Alexander Onishko
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Ukrainian
PRO pts in category: 19

13 mins confidence:

being in powder is not enouph

Explanation:
there is to be something else, not just powder.

Your second variant "You can't buy vint just in a powder. = you have to buy it in some other form." seems about right

IMHO

engrus
Local time: 04:19

5 hrs confidence:

"vint, it can't be just a powder"

nuclear
Local time: 06:19
Native speaker of:

Russian

Grading comment

Thanks.

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